By Your Side
by Chibi Rose Angel
Summary: He had always known that one day he would eventually have to return to the realm of the dead. And though he didn’t want to leave his side, he promised to find him again one day.
1. Chapter 1

_**Author's Notes**_: And here I am with my next Yu Gi Oh story. I'm pretty happy that my first story went over so well. I was afraid that no one would like it but apparently I was incorrect in making that assumption. So this time around, I will be focusing on the relationship between Yugi and Yami/Atem. I know this sort of story has been done to death before but I didn't really like the way the series ended. After everything they went through, their parting was so weak. So this is basically me writing what I think SHOULD have happened. I mean in some ways I know it was better for Yami/Atem to leave so Yugi could get strong, independent, etc, etc but that's a rant I'll save for another day. I honestly think Yugi was more devastated than what they showed us. I mean how do you recover when the other half of yourself leaves?! Anyway, on with the story! Constructive criticisms are welcomed and thank you in advance for reading my story.

_**Disclaimer**_: I don't own Yu Gi Oh or anything else associated with Yu Gi Oh.

After everything we've been through, I can't believe he's gone. Did I really mean so little to him? I didn't want him to leave me. I never wanted to part ways with him. He meant so much to me and now I have to live my life without him.

Things will never be the same.

I'll never get used to the loneliness or the deep ache in my heart. When he was here with me, I felt whole. I felt like I could take on the world. Things didn't seem so hard anymore. With him, I could do anything.

And it was all because he was by my side…

What am I supposed to do now? He walked through that door without even looking back. Even though my heart was screaming and begging for him not to go, he still left. Couldn't he hear my silent plea? Did my tears and anguish mean nothing?

The others have all told me that it was for the best. That he couldn't stay here but I can't accept that! We were friends, brothers and partners! I sacrificed so much for him but in the end, all I got was a broken heart.

When he left, it was like a part of me died. Nothing I did could fill up that void. I tried… I tried so hard to forget about him but I couldn't. He made me who I am today. If it hadn't been for him then I would have never made it this far.

I was only able to make it this far because of his help.

No one understands what I'm going through. It's hard to face life when you're alone. Am I supposed to go back to my old life? The life where I was invisible and people could have cared less whether or not I existed?

Even though I've still got Anzu, Jounouichi, Honda, Bakura, Mokuba and Kaiba, they can't replace him. They'll never be enough nor can they take his place.

I can feel the tears gathering in my eyes but crying won't bring him back. I can scream, shout and beg for him to return all I want but he's gone forever.

Why did it have to end like this?!

I loved him and would have done anything for him. I just wish he were here now. I don't have the strength to keep this farce up any longer. I want to see him again and I want to be near him again.

I can't keep telling the others I'm okay. They're starting to suspect otherwise… I've lost weight and I haven't been sleeping well lately. Clearly, I'm in no condition to go back to the way things used to be…

How can they expect me to just go on with my life knowing that he's gone? He's in the after life and I can't see him. I can't talk to him anymore and I can't confide in him anymore.

He used to listen to anything I said no matter how ridiculous it was. He never judged me and he didn't criticize me either. He knew the real me, knew everything little thing about me.

He actually cried when he lost my soul…

He thought I would be angry with him. That I wouldn't forgive him but how could I blame him for what happened? He was trying so hard to protect me but that seal brought out his darker feelings.

I didn't want him to suffer anymore than he already had. That's why I willingly pushed him out of the way. I never told him but just once I wanted to be of some use to him. If losing my soul meant keeping him safe then I had no problem doing so.

He was and will always be the most important person to me. I just wish I meant more to him than I did. After all, if he truly loved me then he would have stayed. He wouldn't have walked through that door. He wouldn't have ignored my silent pleas or tears.

He was supposed to turn around and promise to find me again one day. He was supposed to dry my tears and tell me to be strong. Remind me that I could carry on without him and yet he did nothing…

He just walked away from me, never once looking back at me. The day he left, time seemed to stop for me. I can never pick up the pieces of my life because he isn't here anymore. When he left, he took my heart with him and for that I can never forgive him.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Author's Notes**_: Despite what you guys might be thinking, this is NOT a yaoi or shounen ai story. Please let me explain okay? As I mentioned earlier, I think Yugi was a lot more upset than he let on. There's no way I'm buying the whole, "Goodbye Pharaoh" line and then Atem just goes back to the after-life. As far as I'm concerned, it had to have taken Yugi some time to adjust to life without the Pharaoh around. I also think Yugi isn't afraid of showing his feelings to people. So when he made the comments about being broken hearted and how Atem took his heart, he was implying that he's not whole anymore. He was not admitting that he was in love with Atem! Sorry but I don't believe anyone from Yu Gi Oh was gay. I admit I had my moments where I wondered about Pegasus but then we found out he was straight. So if you were looking for a fluffy, sappy and mushy Yami/Yugi story then you've got the wrong story. This time around, I'm going to focus on Atem's feelings. It was hard writing this story because I ended up getting too attached again. I really did try to get inside both Yugi and Atem's heads without making them too out of character. But if I failed to keep them in character then I take full blame and responsibility for that slip up. Without further ado, please enjoy my story and constructive criticism are welcomed.

_**Disclaimer**_: I don't own Yu Gi Oh or anything else associated with Yu Gi Oh.

I almost wish he had beaten me. The haunted look in his eyes when he realized that I would be leaving forever… The way his lips trembled as tears began to fill his eyes… It was too painful to watch but I no longer had any right to tamper with his life. I had done enough damage to him as well as his friends.

I could feel his silent, desperate pleas but I couldn't turn back now. After everything that happened, I could not stay in this world. I had to depart to the afterlife, whether I liked it or not. I had to leave him. It was for the best and yet my heart still broke as I walked through that door.

I could feel his soul and heart crying out for me, begging me not to go. If things had been different, I would have never left his side. I would have stayed with him for as long as possible.

He would have never shed those tears and he would have never known such agony and pain. Even now, I can feel him slowly slipping away from his loved ones. He doesn't care anymore…

He thinks I never cared for him but in truth, he meant the world to me. I would have given anything just to stay with him. I wanted to be able to watch over him as he grew and learned more about himself. I wanted to be the one he ran to when things got too hard for him. I wanted him to be able to depend on me but I could not stay with him.

My place was in the afterlife but why had our paths crossed if it meant that we were to be torn away from one another so easily? I would never be able to rest in peace easily, knowing that he was suffering. How could I ever be happy knowing that he was unknowingly trying to join me?

He was getting thin, the haunted look in his eyes hadn't left yet and he was hardly sleeping. Yet I'm stuck here and can no longer comfort him or soothe his troubled mind. I can no longer guide him through his darkest hours nor can I dry his tears.

He'll never know just how much it pained me to leave him behind… Just how much it hurt knowing that I would never see him again. I would never be able to see his eyes brighten again when presented with a new game or puzzle. I would never be able to see his smile again either.

If only I could rid myself of this pain in my chest…

My heart aches for him because I know he deserves so much better. He shouldn't be wasting away while he waits for my return. Fate has already decreed that our paths will never twine again yet I would do anything in my power to return to him.

Perhaps not in this lifetime but somehow, someway, no matter how long it took, I would find him again.


End file.
